NHTSA Complaint #10375708 — 2006 LEXUS IS 350

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING - COPY OF LETTER SENT TO LEXUS CORPORATION FROM RE TO PROBLEMS WITH HER 2006 LEXUS IS350. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING GRINDING SOUNDS UPON START-UP. THREE DAYS LATER, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE GRINDING SOUND WAS DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAMSHAFT GEAR ASSEMBLY. AFTER LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP, THE CONSUMER SMELLED A FAINT BURNT ODOR, BUT ASSUMED THE AIR FILTER MIGHT NEED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER A WHILE, THE SMELL BECAME WORSE AND THE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE EXHAUST AND FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED STATING THE ENGINE OIL WAS LOW. THE SMOKE INSTANTLY INCREASED. THE CONSUMER IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE FREEWAY . THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING A GRINDING SOUNDS AS SHE PULLED INTO A PARKING STRUCTURE. THE NEXT DAY, A TOW TRUCK WAS SENT TO RETRIEVE THE VEHICLE. FIVE DAYS LATER, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT WHEN THE GASKET WAS REPLACED DURING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE VALVE SPRINGS THAT WERE RECALLED, A PART WAS LEFT LOOSE AND CAUSED THE ENGINE OIL TO LEAK. THE CONSUMER WAS ASSURED THAT SEVERAL FLUSHES WERE DONE TO MAKE SURE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A 100%. ON NOVEMBER 25, 2010 WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER HEARD THE GRINDING SOUND AGAIN, THEN SHE NOTICED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE JUMP FROM HIGH TO LOW IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, FOLLOWED BY THE BATTERY SIGNAL, INDICATING A LOW BATTERY, BUT THEN QUICKLY DISAPPEARED. AS THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO DRIVE, A RATTLING NOISE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE RELEASED SMOKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. FOUR DAYS LATER, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAP ON THE RADIATOR FLUID HAD BROKEN OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY DETERMINED THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING PROPERLY, BUT THEY DISCOVERED OIL RESIDUE LEFT ON THE ENGINE THAT WAS CAUSING THE FOUL ODOR. THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHY THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. JB